Official Round 2 MT vs. Adelaide AAMI Stadium (Team changes, Selection etc.)

[Persevering Saint]

Well, where to start - great, great win (one that my wife and I are going to especially savor... saints stuff, stremaers etc will be found stuffed in many of our friends' cars, postboxs, bags, etc).

The big thing for me was that three players actually weren't as terrific as they usually are: Beeg had a quiet night, Roo was still rather underdone, Lenny was a little low on output. Don't get me wrong, they did okay (Roo 2 goals, Lenny tackles), but we all know they can do MUCH MUCH better. But that it was THOSE THREE who weren't firing, and we still trashed Adelaide at AAMI is a terrific sign. St Kilda is finally ceasing to be the side that always relies on the upper echelon of players to do 90% of the work. Add to that that Maxy wasn't there, and oh, we have quite a few players to return, and things are looking good.

Dammit how much would I wish I'd kept Farren Ray in my DT?!?! AAgh, I got rid of him I think for Armitage (I know, I know...) during the free-trade period. Ray is a transformed player, who has found himself in a place with a game plan that really suits him.

Just on all our recruits, it's worth noting something from Walls on that - ALL of them were previously coached by Premiership coaches, and many actually were in premierships themselves. That says a lot.

I still think Gwilt will have to be astounding to keep his spot. Because of Gilbert's versatility, Gwilt will probably be dropped when Max or Maguire return, so that Gilbert can go to the forward line - something I'm extremely excited about, as I think it will make our forward line even MORE potent than it is already becoming.

Kosi, keep playing like that, and ALL IS FORGIVEN. Dal, you too.

 

[beartoo]

Well done your mob. Tackling, intensity, pressure, how to beat an opposition zone, you were far too good for us last night.
We are a young side and will be around the mark for a flag in a few years.
As for you, keep that up and you are around the mark for a flag this year.

 

[goodie23]

The umpiring tonight was an absolute disgrace, how could you end up with 30 - 11 in the free kick count...seems a bit one-sided to me. Good win though.

Because there's a misconception that the count should be equal. Umpires shouldn't keep a tally, they should pay each free on its merits. Adelaide spent a lot of the game diving on top of the ball, and the umpires pinged them.

Saints got more soft decisions, but would've still come out ahead. And at least the umpires didn't give away soft free kicks at the end of the game to try to make the count look more even.

Plus the 50 metre count was 4-2 in Adelaide's favour with 2 of Adelaide's and 1 of the Saints' being farcical

 

[Persevering Saint]

Yes, poor umpiring, but WE weren't the team that got a bizarre 50m, then one of the softest free kicks for a forward in history, that all resulted in a goal. You get more frees when you tackle more. Move on.

One thing that interested me was that I felt the team was more man-on-man than zoning tonight, and I was MUCH happier to see that. When Adelaide had the ball, it just seemed our players stuck to their opposition like glue. I think that was an immense aspect of our win.

 

[CHBench]

Anyone see BJ cop a stray highfive from Kosi straight to the face after the sealer?
Becoming an issue that one. Really needs to get his aim sorted out.

 

[Signd Sealed Saint]

LOL, he's killing half our team.

On a serious note, West Coast are a real danger side next week. How many times have we seen St Kilda have a cracking win and then lose to a bottom side right after? We can't get ahead of ourselves. Saying that, great win from the Saints, without Riewoldt contributing again. These are good signs. Dal and Kosi are barometres of the team and geez weren't they on song last night.

 

[SammyFish25]

What a fantastic game.. great win by the boys
flew over from melb friday morning, to go to the game
sat with the cheer squad, and i now have no voice
go a once in a lifetime chance.. got to go out and help but up the banner!!!
aftermatch function was great, lots of singing and players were very happy with the perfomance

 

[Goedy]

now all we have to do is beat Port at AAMI

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

LOL, he's killing half our team.

On a serious note, West Coast are a real danger side next week. How many times have we seen St Kilda have a cracking win and then lose to a bottom side right after? We can't get ahead of ourselves. Saying that, great win from the Saints, without Riewoldt contributing again. These are good signs. Dal and Kosi are barometres of the team and geez weren't they on song last night.

Ross will be onto this, he'll make an example of last season where we just about gave up a top 4 spot by being beaten by these guys.

It wont happen again.

 

[Sir Robert]

Missed all of the 2nd quarter and part of the 3rd. Had a blackout. OMG so frustrating! Couldn't even get on and live stream from the internet cause the modem was blacked out too!!!

Def p*ssed about missing the week with the Saints. Anyone who taped the game able to put it on youtube?

Of the game I saw - Dal sensational. I hope he keeps it up. He is good enough too. Monty what great tackling from someone who is not known for his toughness (in my book especially). Special mention to Gardiner and Kosi as well as Gram.

Looks like I'm one up in the tipping at work already

Also re umpiring - exactly right first to the ball all night - only one I saw that Adelaide should have got was against Sammy F with his arms around Tippet I think. Other than that we really just dominated the game and deserved the win (again from my viewing time only).

Also cut no OneHD or whatever its called in Albury yet so no replay for me... Grrrrrrrrrr!

 

[StFly]

Ross will be onto this, he'll make an example of last season where we just about gave up a top 4 spot by being beaten by these guys.

It wont happen again.

Hopefully he gets on the overenthused celebrations.

Good: You kicked the goal
Bad: You tried to shove BJ's head into the stands with a high 5

"But coach"

Right doggies banned the handstand on Aker, Kosi... no more high 5's!

 

[WALL-e]

Well done to your boys, your intensity was great, tackling was great and yous tuck to it all game. You looked like you wanted it more, regardless of the green men which were shocking for both teams, and sucked massiove balls, you wanted it more.

That sort of switched on St Kilda will be very dangerous this year.

 

[Dunnas]

Also cut no OneHD or whatever its called in Albury yet so no replay for me... Grrrrrrrrrr!

It's a channel 7 game so there aren't going to be replays on One.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Anyone see BJ cop a stray highfive from Kosi straight to the face after the sealer?
Becoming an issue that one. Really needs to get his aim sorted out.

No but I saw Riewoldt ( sensibly ) back away from a contest when he saw Kosi coming.

Apart from some dreadful umpiring decisisions ( which I don't believe affected the outcome ) it was a great game.

Apart from all our other players who have been mentioned, I am loving seeing Stevie Baker do what he does.

 

[StFly]

No but I saw Riewoldt ( sensibly ) back away from a contest when he saw Kosi coming.

And then later on spoil Kosi from the side as both went for chest marks.

50/50, good thing that he pulled out of that 1 contest and avoided what would have been a collision under Barker, bad thing in that neither then pulled out of that second contest which caused a spilled mark.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Apart from all our other players who have been mentioned, I am loving seeing Stevie Baker do what he does.

HOMG me too.

2nd, 3rd, 4th efforts.

Tackling like a bastard, getting into the other teams, roughin em up.

In all honesty I'd forgotten how good he was. Great to have him back.

 

[TassieSaint]

The best part about this win was that players who were dissappointing last year, Kosi and Dal mainly but to some extent Gilbert and Schneider, are now dominating.

If they can keep it up we should be in pretty good nick when the stars of last year, Riewoldt, Hudghton and Hayes hit form!

 

[Squizz]

regardless of the green men which were shocking for both teams, and sucked massiove balls, you wanted it more.

They sucked _ucking chocolate salty ones. McBurney is a real worry - he sees stuff that no-one else does. We got about 5 real bad ones - the 50m against Blake then shocker against Zac for brushing the guy's hip with a featherduster cost a goal from half back. But reckon the Crows copped about 10 bad decisions even if they did flop on the fall a bit too much. Tyson Edwards (who I think is a great player) seemed to throw his arms up at the slightest contact? He's better than that. Johnc_ckhead obviously still has problems with his knees, as they buckled all night?

 

[Squizz]

No but I saw Riewoldt ( sensibly ) back away from a contest when he saw Kosi coming.

They replayed Kosi's "hits" on BJ and Roo (the old one where he got him flush) on Before The Game - very bloody funny.

 

[Jars458]

Sainter's post was an excellent sumation of how I saw the game from the Saints point of view.

You guys clearly deserved to win as you started and finished better than we did.

Kossie for me was the match winner. When I first saw him as a kid I thought he looked bloody good, however injuries and others things have set him back over the years. Clearly he's not as mobile as Reiwoldt but he is a better makr and a better kick IMO. He destroyed Rutten when it mattered which rarely happens.

The saints pressure, tackling and zone play was superb. It made us go backwards and sideways whereas our zone couldn't stop you blokes going forward with far more regularity.

Having said that, we were within one point early in the last which I think was due to our tenacity and workrate.

Now here comes where I disagree with some of what has been said. The umpiring to my mind favoured you blokes. I can understand the argument that when you are frist to the ball you get more frees. But if you are first to the ball then why would you have such a high tackle count? Generally the guy first to the ball is the guy tackled. Generally the more tackling you do the more frees you give away. So how can you be first to the ball all night and lead the tackle count by so much?

In summation, Saints deserved to win, Crows were ok, but the umpires werer really abysmal!

See you in finals

 

[Rough_Edges]

Sainter's post was an excellent sumation of how I saw the game from the Saints point of view.

You guys clearly deserved to win as you started and finished better than we did.

Kossie for me was the match winner. When I first saw him as a kid I thought he looked bloody good, however injuries and others things have set him back over the years. Clearly he's not as mobile as Reiwoldt but he is a better makr and a better kick IMO. He destroyed Rutten when it mattered which rarely happens.

The saints pressure, tackling and zone play was superb. It made us go backwards and sideways whereas our zone couldn't stop you blokes going forward with far more regularity.

Having said that, we were within one point early in the last which I think was due to our tenacity and workrate.

Now here comes where I disagree with some of what has been said. The umpiring to my mind favoured you blokes. I can understand the argument that when you are frist to the ball you get more frees. But if you are first to the ball then why would you have such a high tackle count? Generally the guy first to the ball is the guy tackled. Generally the more tackling you do the more frees you give away. So how can you be first to the ball all night and lead the tackle count by so much?

In summation, Saints deserved to win, Crows were ok, but the umpires werer really abysmal!

See you in finals

We had 40 more contested possesions than you, i think that emphasizes we were first to the ball all night.

Thanks.

 

[Jars458]

We had 40 more contested possesions than you, i think that emphasizes we were first to the ball all night.

Thanks.

I agree you won the contested ball.

So if you were first to the ball all night, why so many tackles?

 

[StFly]

I agree you won the contested ball.

So if you were first to the ball all night, why so many tackles?

Pressure. Consider we were first to the ball more than the Crows, less tackles equate to less pressure on the ball carrier to dispose under duress, more tackles equates to more pressure on the ball carrier and as you've already stated our zone and tackling forced your players into going where they did not want to and created duress which created opportunity for then greater numbers as your players panicked under the pressure.

 

[Rough_Edges]

I'm not sure what point your trying to make?

Obviously we wern't first to the ball ALL night but we did win more ball than you, and we did have more tackles than you.

What are you trying to point out Jars? Please explain

 

[goodie23]

I agree you won the contested ball.

So if you were first to the ball all night, why so many tackles?

Because your guys had to keep handballing into trouble. The Saints surrounded the ball carrier well, and so would get several tackles in a sequence of play.

Think about it, how many hospital handpasses did you see?